Desmopressin, also known as dDAVP, is the therapeutically active ingredient (as its acetate salt) in the pharmaceutical product Minirin®, which is marketed inter alia as a nasal spray and a tablet formulation. Desmopressin is primarily used in the treatment of primary nocturnal enuresis, i.e. bedwetting, in children, but it is approved also for the treatment of nocturia and diabetes insipidus. The first market introduction of the tablet formulation was in Sweden in 1987.
In short, a solid dosage form such as a tablet formulation is typically manufactured by compression of a suitable granulate to the desired solid dosage form, where the granulate is composed of the required constituents as a mixture of solid particles. Typical such particles are the therapeutically active ingredient, various excipients (fillers), disintegrating agents, lubricants and binders, optionally together e.g. with flavoring agent, preservative and/or colorant. The commercially available Minirin® tablet is prepared according to this general protocol, and the tablet was first disclosed as set forth in the patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,398, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. For a comprehensive overview of pharmaceutical tablet manufacturing, see “Tableting” (by N. A. Armstrong) in “Pharmaceutics—The science of dosage form design”, pp 647–668; Ed. M. E. Aulton, Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, London, Melbourne and New York, 1988, the entire teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The Minirin® tablet that is currently marketed, and thus produced in industrial scale, consists of the therapeutically active ingredient desmopressin together with potato starch and lactose as excipients, and a suitable amount of binder and lubricant, respectively.
In any tablet compression of a granulate composed of a mixture of solid particles there is a general need to perform the compressing operation at the highest possible speed while at the same time minimising machine wear and obtaining tablets of a quality that meets the regulatory demands of all relevant territories.